BAHAWALPUR — Pakistan Railways successfully restored train operations on the main Karachi-Lahore line Wednesday evening, following a grueling 20-hour recovery operation. Both the “up” and “down” tracks were cleared after the Karachi-bound Tezgam Express derailed near Adam Wahan late Tuesday night, injuring 26 passengers and paralyzing the country’s primary rail artery. Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has taken serious notice of the incident, convening a high-level inquiry committee to determine the cause of the technical failure.
Key Highlights
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Traffic Restored: Normal operations resumed on both tracks after a 20-hour suspension between Bahawalpur and Lodhran.
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Casualties: 26 passengers sustained injuries when five carriages of the 8-DN Tezgam overturned and three others derailed.
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Inquiry Launched: Federal Government Inspector of Railways (FGIR) Rizwanul Haq Hashmi to lead a two-day probe in Multan starting March 26.
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Emergency Shelter: Displaced passengers were housed overnight in government schools in Adam Wahan under District Administration supervision.
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Heavy Recovery: Hydraulic cranes were deployed through the night to remove overturned carriages and repair severely damaged sections of the down track.
Midnight Crisis at Adam Wahan Bridge
The derailment occurred late Tuesday night near the Adam Wahan bridge, a critical junction between Bahawalpur and Lodhran. The impact caused five bogies of the Tezgam Express to flip over, while three others slid off the rails, causing panic among hundreds of passengers.
A fast-moving express train traveling from Peshawar to Karachi met with an accident near Bahawalpur when a coupling hook broke, causing the train to split into two sections. Eyewitnesses reported that seven carriages attached to the engine moved forward, while the rear carriages… pic.twitter.com/LJ0iME0cqJ
— P Connect (@ConnectingPak) March 24, 2026
Rescue teams and railway engineers arrived shortly after the crash, utilizing heavy hydraulic machinery to lift the wreckage. While 26 passengers were treated for injuries, the Lodhran Public Relations department confirmed that most were out of danger. Local authorities, led by Deputy Commissioner Lodhran Muhammad Ashraf, converted nearby government boys’ and girls’ high schools into temporary shelters, providing food and basic facilities to those stranded.
Federal Response and Accountability
In Islamabad, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi expressed concern over the safety lapse and demanded an immediate investigation. The newly formed inquiry committee, headed by FGIR Rizwanul Haq Hashmi, is scheduled to hold proceedings at the Divisional Superintendent’s office in Multan on March 26 and 27.
“The inquiry officer will determine responsibility for the derailment and submit recommendations to prevent such occurrences,” a Pakistan Railways (PR) spokesperson stated. In a rare move toward transparency, the department has invited members of the general public who witnessed the accident to record their statements before the committee.
Logistics and Passenger Relief
For passengers unwilling to wait for the track restoration, the district administration arranged road transport to help them reach their destinations. Those who remained at the relief camps were able to board the first trains to depart following the track’s formal clearance on Wednesday afternoon.
Railway engineers worked through the heat and logistical challenges to replace damaged sleepers and realign the rails. By Wednesday evening, the PR “All-Clear” signal allowed the backlog of diverted and delayed trains to begin moving toward Lahore and Karachi.
While the tracks are now open, the incident has once again sparked a national conversation regarding the aging infrastructure of the main line. The final report from the FGIR is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Railways early next week.
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